Tag Archives: Christians

“Where’s the Glory!”

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You can’t live with me in the truck.  For one thing, there isn’t room.  You can’t find your daily meal from cans of soup and beans.  The stove and refrigerator would be jealous.  You can’t be isolated from Humanity but for an occasional confrontation here and there.  6 days a week.  Then home, as a stranger.

No!  This place is for me.

But don’t you have your own, your house, your family, your home.  And isn’t THERE, things “Too much for you”?  Don’t those things clamor like tiny chicks noisily begging for worms. 

No time for rest, or your glory will die. 
No time to compare,
“Who has it better than I?”

Should we think that the Glory of Christ in us is limited “someplace else”?  Is it right to think that if you were someone else you could bring him what is Honorable? 

If you did all the things that a day’s work demands.  What would be said of you?  What would be said of your Lord?  What right would you have to speak among the people then?  And wouldn’t your diligence, honorable and true, be speech enough; not only visible but audible in deed?

His Glory stands waiting in your “house”.  Be dressed.  Serve.

The Luckey Ones?

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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

The godless think they are enroute to their own pleasure.  They neither consider that God sees, nor that he can do anything about them.  Ignorance and willful abandon are their are gods.  And doesn’t their pursuit of pleasure demand slothfulness?  They obey diligence just enough to get what they want, and no more.  Violence, greed and pride are the mantra of their every step.  Hatred and destruction are their prime reasons for life.  “Destroy your enemy, then you can have their goods.  Love others just enough to steal them blind.

These are real life zombies.  They walk about and do, according  to the rules of death.  But they are not useless, these people of self-will.  God is directing them to the path of his people.  He allows them to float about in reserve until he needs them for his purpose.  Then their path is brought to bear down on his people.

Men and women of The Faith come to believe this is true.  Maturity in Christ demands such a perception.  Righteous obedience to the Lord requires that mindset.  The peace God gives his people proves that His Holy will is being done in all things that come to them.  Nothing, nothing in Christ is arbitrary!

Your path moves in a straight line toward eternal life in Christ.  The wicked mill about in their chaotic endeavors.  Where does your path intersect who?   Think about this with all earnest thought.

Happenstance belongs to those who are godless.  Luck belongs to the dead.  Chance belongs to the groping blind.  But to those who believe by The Faith born from God: “You have intended it for evil, but God has intended it for good”.

Gather your holy wits about you and walk with confidence.  If the Living God is your God in Christ, you have no room for doubt.  If that’s not so, then why does James instruct us to say, “If God is willing”?

(Please don’t let these words sit on my blog.  Have the guts to share them with someone.  Let us do as God commands, “Encourage one another in the Holy Faith”.  Look around.  Who else do you know that speaks words like these?  Why should you share trivia only?  Why not share life?  Or are you really ashamed of me, as I have come to suspect you are?)

Making Christians

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This place is filled with words.  There are virtually no movies.  Pictures are sparse.  Music is virtually non-existent.  All I have is words.

They sit here like gold in the ground.  It’s not that my words are beautiful and holy and Majestic.  But they can certainly lead anyone to that place.

I asked the Lord repeatedly to open the hearts and minds of a certain few.  Today I received a response.  “Let them desire it”.

I can’t make anyone into a Christian.  I can’t give them eternal life.  All I can do, and it is enough, is point the way to the One who is all Good things.  All I can say is, and quite repeatedly, humble yourself before God that you may live.  Life is in His hands.  The choice is in yours.

Confusion Blooms

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“Settle down old ragged beating heart.  Remember the Truth He spoke to those who are His.  Visit the testimony within you.  “Glory and peace belongs to the Glorious One alone.”  His name is ALL Good things.   His Holy name is Jesus.  

Presently, it’s our time to suffer and die.

Look to His Day!   The Promised Consoling is traveling to you, even now.  See how you remember this.  WORK!  You untrustworthy, broken, unrighteous, and chaotic mess of tangled thoughts; errant miscreant that you are.  REMEMBER!”

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.  (2 Corinthians 4)

The Circus Has Come to Town

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A big brick building partially complete.  I saw it across the street at an intersection.  Brightly colored banners advertised the coming sensation.  This great wonder of the world would be ready for open doors in the fall of 2016!  OH BOY!

Fun, education, community, love, entertainment and activities.  Are you ready for this folks?  It’s going to be what they’ll call a church.

No more need to be ashamed of Jesus.  A place where you’ll be proud to bring your friends.  They might even supply a pool hall in the basement (Maybe, possibly, likely).

No need to suffer for the name of Christ.  Lots of food.  Lots of laughter.  Beautiful people everywhere.  Amazing music.  Dazzling light show during the sermon.  Lots of pictures to look at.  No doubt they’ll be recruiting actors.  (Understand the meaning of the word actor)

As I saw it, and thought about it, I realized that somewhere in the world someone was being beheaded for Christ.  A church building was still smoldering.  Someone was being driven out of the city because they were Christian.  Someone was beaten nearly to death for their love of Christ.  Someone was starving in a putrid cell.  Someone was crying wrenching tears because their child had been taken from them.  And all this for the name of Jesus.

And you want to build an entertainment center?

The still small Voice reminded me that such men will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those Christians of the first-century.  They will need to explain why they turned the blood of their Christian Brothers into a circus.

And you want to entertain them into Christ?  Is that right?

“There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.” (Hebrews chapter 11)

The Rocks Will Cry Out

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I wake to consider the things of the Living God’s Holy Son.  No matter where I look among the things of God’s Holy wisdom, I find no fault.  Yet why should this amaze me?

To the things of man I look, and I find no righteous faithfulness.  And isn’t this the cause of my amazement?

Consistency abides in the Living God, toward life and all things good.  Consistency abides in the camp of Man’s horror, toward rebellion and all things wicked.

What has God done but we should despise him so?  What has Man accomplished that we should revere him in fear? 

How is it that the people who call themselves Christians suppress the beauty of the One who offers them life; those who give God praise in secret yet seal their mouth when they walk among the dead.

“I have riches”, they say.  The faithfulness of God in his promise is that sure, yes.  But don’t the rocks along the Way of Glory also have the blessing of God to lay unmolested?  There they are lay, prepared to do his will. And surely if the people had not given praise to the Living God’s Holy Son, the rocks themselves would have cried out the words.  Are we no better than rocks strewn along the path of life?  Are we like rocks which adorn a valley of death, fruitless and simply a nuisance ( dressings which mark the barren land).

“If God will touch us, we will serve him.  If God will drive back the wicked we will speak and walk among them.  If he will drive them back beyond a stone’s throw, we will proclaim the words of life.  As long as there is no threat we will be brave.  Yet if he will not cause the wicked to recede, we will continue to praise him in secret.  I will leave the fearsome work to those who desire to die.”  Is this what we say by our actions?  Will not God protect those the march ahead in faith?

But clean yourself.  Primp and prune your feathers.  Lining every hair in its proper place.  let every thread of clothing be presentable and immaculate.  Let your life be dressed with all the things that cause Man to nod in appreciation.  If you hide the Light of Christ,  you are no different than the rocks along the Way. 

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Is it too much to ask? 

Is it unjust to require us to join Jesus in his suffering?

Is the shame of righteousness too much to bear? 

Is the Cross of Christ too heavy to share? 

Then what can possibly be our lot? 

When we appear before He by whose Blood we are bought?